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East Owlia
East Owlia (Lanternese: Aulia Orientale), officially the East Owlian Republic (Lanternese: Repubblica Auliana Orientale), is a nation comprising the Lantern Islands and associated territories in eastern Owlia. It borders the Pálowan realm of Ei̇́sarna to the southwest. History The Lantern Islands were first settled in the early 7th century CE by colonists arriving primarily from the western region of Landing, having sailed across the Central Sea. These settlers came mainly from the lower and middle classes of society, farmers and merchants seeking new riches in the unexplored east, and many were members of the Zealot church escaping religious persecution in the west. A trading post was successfully established on the southern tip of Gran Lanterna in 609 CE which would later become the city of Tridente and the first wave of colonists conducted trade with peaceful villages in their vicinity, the most notable trade link being the import of terracotta from the Janubian deserts. The Tridente colony prospered from these eastern trade links but remained a minor outpost compared to the grand cities of the western continent. And while trade flourished with the east, the Lantern Islands grew increasingly isolated to a point where there was only minimal contact with the western cultural sphere, mainly with Pálowan islanders in the Central Sea. Lanternese merchants amassed a great deal of wealth under a colonial government too weak and disorganized to implement regulations let alone defend itself, and this political situation left the colony vulnerable to attack. In 661 CE, the Lantern Islands were invaded by the Sea Peoples whose ethnic and geographic origins remain a mystery to this day. Their commander Illa, known as "the Tyrant" in East Owlia and "the Vindicator" by his own forces, instituted a new centralized government which saw merchant landowners evicted from their estates and Zealot places of worship destroyed while farmers had to give up most of their harvest in taxes. A visiting ship from the west, one of very few allowed into East Owlian territorial waters during this time, prompted an outbreak of Wungarian plague on the Lantern Islands in the late 670s which would be the beginning of the end for the occupation. The underground resistance used this as a chance to strike while the enemy was weakened by disease and Illa's reign of terror was brought to an end in 679 CE when Lanternese colonists seized control of the islands after a decisive struggle against the Sea Peoples. A transitional government was put into place under resistance leader Aevin Civetta who implemented policies aimed at economic recovery after several years of wealth having been syphoned out of the country. Some liberties from the early colonial era were restored such as freedom of religion and the right to own land but an indefinite state of emergency was declared giving Civetta a wide range of powers under the pretenses of preventing another foreign invasion, essentially establishing a military dictatorship. Martial law wouldn't be suspended until 691 CE with the adoption of a new constitution affirming the sovereignty of East Owlia as a democratic republic. Aevin Civetta's popularity allowed his National Unity Party to win a majority of their own in the following Senate elections however, and his grip on power remained steady over the next decade. During this time, the East Owlian government pursued closer relations with the Iron Keep to their west who became a favored trade partner and expansionist development policies spearheaded the founding of new colonies around the Lantern Sea and in the eastern swamplands. In 696 CE, the Janubian city-state Alhadba became an East Owlian protectorate following a series of trade and military expeditions in the region. Civetta was succeeded by his foreign affairs minister Alfonso Vungherese who paved the way for a more open foreign policy agenda. During his term as First Consul at the beginning of the 8th century, the final steps were taken to end East Owlian isolationism and embassies were established as far away as New Breshyu. In 708 CE, the National Unity Party lost its dominance over East Owlian politics however as they were forced into opposition for the first time after Labor leader Ileana Medgalia took over the consulship. Her weak minority government, backed by merely a third of the Senate, lasted for only six months however before she resigned as a result of waning public opinion and pressure from the opposition. The time after this political crisis would come to be known as the "reform years". Zealot democrat Stella Cipolle was sworn in as First Consul after the snap elections held following Medgalia's resignation, and her tripartisan government with Labor and the Liberals took the first steps towards universal healthcare and regional autonomy in East Owlia. Labor eventually left this coalition in 715 CE but Cipolle secured a second term in office with renewed support from the National Unity Party. This new centre-right government implemented a wide-reaching rural development agenda, doubling domestic food production over the next seven years, while also overseeing the incorporation of new territories in the south including the strategically important Cipollines, an island chain located halfway between Tridente and Alhadba in the Janubian Sea. Government and politics East Owlian Senate The East Owlian Senate is a national legislature with roots dating back to the colonial assembly of the early 7th century. It is a bicameral body with an elected lower house, the Chamber of Representatives, and an appointed upper house, the Chamber of Delegates. Senators of the lower house are elected to seven year terms, with seats allocated to the regions based on their population, while senators of the upper house are appointed to 14 year terms. Former First Consuls sit as senators for life in the Chamber of Delegates. Two officers of the Senate are designated in the East Owlian constitution: the President of the Senate who is elected by the members of the lower house and preside over their meetings and the Vice President of the Senate who holds an equivalent position in the upper house. There are currently 48 senators in the ninth legislative session of the East Owlian Senate (729 - 736 CE), 33 in the Chamber of Representatives and 15 in the House of Delegates. CoR-729.png|'Chamber of Representatives' - National Unity Party (17) - Alliance for East Owlia (8) - Coalition of the United Left (8) CoD-729.png|'Chamber of Delegates' - Nonpartisan (11) - National Unity Party (2) - Alliance for East Owlia (1) - Coalition of the United Left (1) Political parties In elections to the Chamber of Representatives, voters choose between candidate lists which are affiliated with one of the major political parties. In contrast to this, a majority of senators in the Chamber of Delegates are nonpartisan. First Consul and the Cabinet The First Consul is the head of state and head of government of the East Owlian Republic. They are directly elected by the people to oversee the day-to-day executive functions of government and lead the cabinet whose members are each assigned a portfolio of powers typically associated with one of the nation's ministries, known as consulates. Cabinet members are nominated by the First Consul and have their appointments confirmed by majority vote in the upper house of Senate. Administrative divisions The territories of the East Owlian Republic are divided into three regions with moderate levels of autonomy, and these in turn are further subdivided into smaller districts used as statistical units in the national census and for electoral purposes. The First Consul appoints a governor to oversee local administration in each region. The elected seats of the Senate lower house are allocated to the regions based on their population in the most recent census held at least six months prior to an election. Demographics Population The total resident population of East Owlia is 290,820 according to the most recent available census data. Population is concentrated mainly to the capital region with a little over 50% of East Owlians living in the Lantern Islands as opposed to the outer regions. List of largest cities and towns in East Owlia Language Lanternese is the sole official language of the East Owlian Republic as well as the native language of a majority of the population. Three national minority languages are recognized by the government: the Vicce language native to the northeastern autonomous region, the Janubic language spoken by immigrants from Alhadba, and Cheridonian, a Pálowan dialect spoken in the western borderlands of Marenostro. Another important language in East Owlia is the Owlian common tongue, a western lingua franca often used in contact with foreign traders from the Landing region. Religion The third article of the East Owlian constitution guarantees freedom of religion for all citizens and forbids the Senate from passing laws hindering the establishment and free practice of religion in the republic. While East Owlia has no official state religion for this reason, the preamble of the constitution explicitly acknowledges the Zealot Church as an "institution of national importance" for its fundamental role in establishing the Tridente colony. Around 60% of East Owlians identify as Zealots; the East Owlian Zealot Church accounting for 45% and non-denominational Zealots accounting for 12%. Other minor denominations include the Tridentine Church, Latter-Day Zealots and followers of the Resplendent Temple who combined account for the remaining 3%. National symbols Anthem The East Owlian anthem Lux aeterna is an orchestral piece dedicated to the resilience of the East Owlian people. The anthem is mostly instrumental but begins with a few words from a traditional Zealot funeral hymn in honor of those who lost their lives during the reign of terror. An alternative interpretation of this segment is as a prayer for peace, asking the sun to shine its eternal light on the Lantern Islands. The initial words of the anthem are sung in Old Church Lanternese, an archaic form of the Lanternese language. Category:Owlia